Wire-support.



J. F. SCOTT.

WIRE SUPPORT.

APPLICATION rum NOV. 6, 1906.

2 SHEETS -BHEET 1.

Patented Apr. 6, 1909.

INVENTOH BY a 6 ATTORNEYS J. F. SCOTT.

WIRE SUPPORT.

APPLIOATION FILED NOV. 5, 1906.

9 1 7, 1 63 Patented Apr. 6, 1909.

2 SHEETS SHBET 2.

Fig- 7L 1 j mv; ES 1 /NVEA[:T0/?

My; Y 44 A770 NEYS ill h ltlld.

JOHN F. SCOTT, OF HIGHLAND PARK, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TOALPHONSUS L. DRUM, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

WIRE-SUPZORT.

Application filed November 5, 1906.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN F. Soor'r, residing at Highland Park, in thecounty of Lake and State of Illinois, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Wire-Supports, of which the following is a full,clear,

and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art towhich it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to the suspension of trolley wires and the like.

One of the objects thereof is to provide a strong and durable device ofsimple and efiicient construction for the suspension of wires of theabove nature.

Another object is to provide a device of the above type characterized bylight weight and low cost of manufacture.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed outhereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction,combinations of elements and arrangement of parts which will beexemplified in the embodiment hereinafter described and the scope of theapplication of which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawing, wherein is shown one or more of the variouspossible embodiments of the several features of my invention,-Figure 1is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 2 is an end View. Fig. 3 is asimilar view of a slightly different em bodiment of a certain featurethereof. Fig. 4; is a diagrammatic view showing the support in operativeposition. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of another modification. F G is anend view thereof. Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic view showing a two-tracksystem.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout theseveral views of the drawing.

in order that certain aims of this invention may he more readilyunderstood, it may here be noted that in the case of the suspension oftrolley wires and other conductors of a like general nature, it is ofprime importance that the supporting means he of the strongest and mostreliable construction inasmuch as they are subjected, by reason of theswinging of the wire or its coating with ice or other accumulations, tosevere stresses, and their falling is attended not only with delay intraffic and possible in Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 6, 1909.

Serial No. 842,063.

jury to the station apparatus, due to the short circuit, but an elementof considerable personal danger to parties in the vicinity. Thisreliability, which is thus an essential. to a satisfactory support ofthe nature of dealt with in this invention, is achieved by a simplicityof construction in which all joints and retained devices are done awaywith, and, with regard to its more specific features, in which the loadis transmitted merely through metal, the tensile strength of which isnot only of high value, but is substantially uniform. It may also benoted that inasmuch as large number of hangers or wire supports arenecessarily employed in the suspension of trolley wires for a road ofany considerable length, it is highly desirable that the simplest andcheap est construction consistent with durability should be employed. itmay also be noted that if, in a two-track trolley system, the individualwires be insulated one from another, the conductivity of one of thesemembers from the point of connection with the feeder to the place ofcontact of the trolley is often lost, with a corresponding increase intransmission losses.

The above and other advantageous features are attained in constructionsof the nature of that hereinafter described.

Referring now to Fig. il of the drawings, there is shown a. track 1above which mounted. as by the posts 9, a span wire 3 provided with theusual insulating break strains 4t. Upon this span wire is moui'i'ed thetrolley wire by a support 6, which shown upon a larger scale in Fig. 1of the drawings. Support 6, which is an integral member, preferably ofiron or of composition copper, comprises a web 7 having formed at itscentral portion a post or abutment 8 provided with a cross web 9 havingat its lateral ends depending lugs or ears 10 of a generz l hook-shapedcoi'iformation, as shown in the drawings. Span wire 3 is adapted to restwithin these lugs and pass about the abutment 8, as shown at 11, thusbeing securely interlocked to the support. in abutment 12 is preferablyformed in the web 7 upon which the span wire rests, which, acting inconjunction with the shoulder 13, tends to aid in this interlockingaction. Web 7 terminates at its lower edge in a grooved portion 14, thegroove being of irregular conformation and having a slightly ofisetportion 15 to aid in the security of attachment of the trolley wire 5resting therein.

In Fig. 7 of the drawings is shown a twowire system in which theabove-described wire supporting means are utilized. With thisarrangement, the two trolley wires 16 and 17 are in electricalcommunication and hence present their joint conductivity to the currentpassing, as from the feeding-in tap 18 to the trolley 19. The diminutionin heating losses, due to this virtual doubling in conductivity of thetrolley wire, is of con siderable practical importance and is a distinctadvance over the widely used systems in which. the trolley wires areinsulated one from another.

In Fig. 3 of the drawings is shown a slightly different form of groove15*, in which the irregular conformation above referred to is dispensedwith, and the wire held in position in any desired manner.

Another slightly different embodiment of certain features of myinvention is shown in Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawings, in which the wiresupport 20 is formed of some malleable metal and is secured upon thespan wire 3 by bending about the same the upwardlydisposed lips orflanges 21. The remaining features of this embodiment are substantiallyidentical with that first described.

It may here be noted that the term span wire is used throughout thisspecification and the following claims in a broad sense to denote anyequivalent member used as a means of support, and that the term trolleywire is likewise used to designate, not only a conductor adapted toco-act with a trolley wheel, but any elevated electrical conductor of alike general. nature.

The method of use of the above-described embodiment of my inventionshould be largely obvious from the description given, but it may here benoted that the same is mounted directly upon the span wire without theuse of insulation at this point, and the trolley wire is secureddirectly within the groove, thus doing away with the employment of abuilt-up construction, with a consequent tendency to weakness andunreliability.

As above set forth, the two-wire construction acts to present adecreased resistance to the current flowing to the trolley 19. Thisaction, which should be largely obvious, is brought about by theelectrical connection of each trolley wire with the span wires, thelatter being insulated from their connections with the supporting postsand the chance of a ground being thus done away with at the breakstrains 4 between the trolley wires and the supports. The two trolleywires thus act as a single conductor of substantially doubleconductivity in so far as the current from the feeding-in taps to thetrolley at any given position is concerned.

It will thus be seen that I have provided a device in which the severalobjects of my invention and the above-enumerated advantages are, amongothers, attained, and which is adapted for the hardest practical use.

As many changes could be made in the above construction and manyapparently widely different embodiments of my invention could be madewithout departing from the scope thereof, I intend that all mattercontained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawingsshall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. Idesire it also to be understood that the language used in the followingclaims is intended to cover all of the generic and specific features ofthe invention herein described and all statements of the scope of theinvention which, as a matter of language, might be said to falltherebetween.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent is l. A trolley wire support having a portion adaptedfor connection with the trolley wire and provided with a pair ofdepending hooks adapted, to interlock with the span wire and an abutmenton said portion positioned to engage the span wire between said hooksand hold the same in interlocked position.

2. An integral metallic trolley wire support having a central postprovided with a longitudinal web adapted for connection 'with a trolleywire at its lower edge and having a cross web provided at its ends withdepending hooks adapted to interlock with the span wire.

An integral metallic trolley wire support having a central post providedwith a longitudinal web adapted for connection with a trolley wire atits lower edge and having a cross web provided at its ends withdepending hooks adapted to interlock with the span wire and an abutmenton said Web positioned to engage the span wire between said hooks andhold the same in interlocked position.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature, in the presence of twowitnesses.

JOHN F. SCOTT. lVitnesses C. It. Fnnnnniok, E. A. TURri'N.

